LEADASS

I'm interested in gaining as much headroom as possible and looking at various schemes. First my car is power seats and sunroof, the worst case scenario! So Sterling has some manual seat rails...what might this realize in headroom? I also thought about an aftermarket drivers seat (Sparco?).
Another more radical thought was to remove the sunroof. I've searched the various threads but don't have a conclusion yet. I know new roof panels are NLA, and besides it would be an enormous amount of work and expense (not the least of which would be the paint).
I was wondering if anyone has removed the mechanism/motor/etc from the inside and merely fixed the OEM panel in place and the installed a non-sunroof headliner? I think some racers have fixed the panel, they haven't cared about the interior surfaces. I also saw the thread about the carbon fiber panel (Oooh- Aaah!).
I'm interested in any thoughts from you guys. Are there any negative outcomes or unintended consequences? The whole problem is simply I'm a 6'5" mutant trying to fit in a regular person world. By the way I have absolutely no interest in shopping for a non sunroof car, I've got too much into this one.

Thanks,Brian

Ducman82

get a hair cut?

LEADASS

If only I had 'that' much Hair !

Silver79

Removing the sunroof panel and installing a non sunroof panel would be a TON of work. I have had the sunroof welded into place on my 82. The problem with this is that you still have to cut out the steel sunroof support structure on the inside of the roof to realize any headroom gains. Remember that when you open the sunroof it slides into the interior and not onto the outside of the roof. Then you still have to find a non-sunroof headliner in decent shape. Unfortunately if I had to do it all over again I would probably sell and buy a non sunroof car from the get go, which as you stated is not an option. Joe

LEADASS

DAMN! Thanks Joe not what I wanted to hear but I smell what you're stepping in.

Jim Nowak

I have an aftermarket sunroof that automatically rolls out and over the roof. I'm a bit over 6'6" and fit great in my car. Just need to get it running again.......

danglerb

As long as paint isn't "much" of an issue, I figure around $4k to remove the sunroof. 1983 is about the newest you will have much chance of finding without a sunroof, there are maybe a handful in the S4 and newer, two of which I have actually found.

Manual rails and manual seats plus moving the mount point all the way to the rear, is "maybe" 2", but I think the power seat may have a good inch taller non rail portion of the seat for the motors etc.

Porken and others have put a fixed panel in the roof, lots of threads, kinda messy for non track car.

77tony

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-delete-4.html 77Tony

LEADASS

Tony, Did you clean all the rails and brackets on the interior? Can you show a couple of picts. of the new interior? How much weight did you loose?
Danglerb, I was thinking of a way to leave the exterior largely unmolested, fix the panel permanently. Then try to remove everything else possible in the interior and fixing a non-sunroof headliner.
I think I'll just have to pursue the seat option.

Jim Devine

Might want to look underneath & see if it's possible
to "drop" (lower) the floor pan in the seat area.
Rick Barry- the NBA Basketball player had a Pantera
that he didn't fit in & that was the solution.

77tony

Brian, Bodyshop did the work, & the best I can do is provide the few pics of the process above. Did install a set of manual 997 seats (electric back) that do sit a little lower, and are very comfortable. Herman K has a set for sale that are very nice (1st 2 pics below) I have trimmed approx 214 lbs from the GTS by swapping in these seats, deleting the rear a/c, spare tire jack & tools, rmd, sunroof casette & motor, rear bumperettes, rub strips, air pump, door locks, rear windshield motor, etc, etc. Hope that helps. 77Tony

BC

I removed my sunroof, cut out the rails and frame, and then separated the two layers of the steel sunroof panel and welded it back to the car. With some window sealant it will look normal from the outside

LEADASS

BC, Dude that's what I'm talkin' about. Have you got any pics? What are you gonna do on the interior? Do you have any paint respray? Thanks, Brian

Cheburator

New non-sunroof panels are available from Porsche for a very reasonable $252

I know this as I bought one from them and installed it on my race car.

Unfortunately it is a bit more complicated for a street car. You will need someone who is good at tidying up bodywork. There is a heck of a lot of rails and bracing which needs to be cut out from the inside. It is doable though. Also, you will need to find a headliner, which is sadly NLA...

Mike Frye